POS1281 INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF SARCOPENIA IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS
Authors: L. Cano Garcia, N. Al Mashhadani, R. Redondo, M. Morales-Águila, G. Diaz-Cordobes, S. Manrique Arija
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2023)

<h3>Background</h3> Sarcopenia is a muscular condition characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. It is a condition associated with chronic diseases and aging that predicts disability, hospitalization and death. <h3>Objectives</h3> To describe the prevalence of sarcopenia and its associated factors in a series of patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). <h3>Methods</h3> Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Participants: consecutive recruitment of patients with SSc (ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria) followed up in our unit. Follow-up of these patients is carried out every 3 to 6 months in consultation and all patients were registered in a database. 90% of the patients accepted and signed the consent, the rest refused due to travel or work difficulties. Variables: The main variable was sarcopenia defined according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOPII) criteria and severe sarcopenia, which according to EWGSOPII criteria also includes physical performance in the 4-meter walk test. Clinical and analytical data were collected, as well as Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) nutrition questionnaires (continuous: 0-14, considering 14 better nutritional status), physical activity assessed by GPAQ, polypharmacy (if they take &gt;3 drugs) and functional grade of Steinbrocker. Statistical analysis: descriptive and two logistic regression models to identify factors associated with sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia. <h3>Results</h3> 52 patients were included, of whom 51 (98.1%) were women, with a mean (SD) age of 60.8 (11.0) years. A total of 12/52 patients (23.1%) had sarcopenia and 6/52 patients (11.5%) had severe sarcopenia (Table 1). Compared to the rest, patients with sarcopenia had anti-Scl70 antibodies more frequently (41.7% vs 12.5%; p=0.030) and were polymedicated (87.5% vs 60.0%; p=0.022). Likewise, patients with sarcopenia had worse mean (SD) values in the Steinbrocker functional class (2.58 [1.24] vs 1.75 [0.89]; p = 0.040). Patients with severe sarcopenia had lower mean (SD) values of prealbumin (19.2 [3.3] vs 21.6 [4.7]; p = 0.001) and were more frequently dependent at home than the rest (16.7% vs. 2.5%; p=0.03). In addition, a greater number (%) of patients with severe sarcopenia had an inability to perform the physical function tests of the chair and the balance test compared to the rest of the sample (50% vs 13.3%; p=0.05) and (66.7% vs. 8.9%; p=0.05), respectively. The multivariate analysis identified that the only variable associated with sarcopenia in patients with SSc was CRP (OR [95% CI], 1.125 [1.037-1.220]; p=0.004) (R2=0.282). Similarly, CRP was also independently associated with severe sarcopenia (OR [95% CI], 1.240 [1.081-1.423]; p=0.002) (R2=0.314). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Sarcopenia is linked to inflammatory activity in SSc. This comorbidity has serious consequences for functionality and independence, which is why prevention and early detection of sarcopenia and its associated factors is important. <h3>REFERENCES:</h3> NIL. <h3>Acknowledgements:</h3> NIL. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None Declared.